Written by Harry Michaels and Allan Stewart
With Additional Material from Grant Stott and Matt Slack
Directed by Ed Curtis
It’s back. That beastly, festive, encroaching force which you just can’t escape. And no, we’re not talking about Grant Stott’s acting. For many, the King’s Pantomime in Edinburgh, currently seeking refuge at the Festival Theatre while the King’s continues its redevelopment, is not only the highlight of their festive season but often the only sliver of live theatrical entertainment they might experience through the year. So, there are no better hands to be in than that of Stott, Allan Stewart, Jordan Young, and Clare Gray, joined this year by Gail Watson, Amber Sylvia Edwards, Will Callan and Iain Stuart Robertson. Penned by Harry Michaels, with a distinctly Auld Reekie flair with Stewart’s showmanship and esteemed know-how, there’s nothing better than a King’s Pantomime, and Cinderella feels like one of the more authentic shows in a long time.
Much of this comes from the choice of the story; Michaels and the team retain the fairytale elements of the beloved Grimm’s story without stripping back too many pages to cram in the gags and jokes. It makes for an experience for everyone – one where the double-entendres are racy but not overplayed, and the audience interactions are genuine and warming. Stott, Young, and Stewart make the most of their moments together, with the traditional corpsing bringing the biggest laughs, taking control of Ian Westbrook’s set design, which, functional and magical, doesn’t lend itself quite to the ‘Newtown’ of Edinburgh-vibes it was perhaps suggested, even when cast in Rory Beaton’s splendid lighting.
Back in their natural habitat, corseted and wigged up, Stott and Stewart make the tricky skill of being a Pantomime baddie and dame look easy. And it’s anything but. Think of the tens-of-minutes in make-up alone. Wicked, vile, and dastardly, Stott’s Baroness Hibernia ranks among their most dastardly – even getting a rare moment of genuine cruelty and threat as a panto baddie, backed up by Gray and Watson as Cinderella’s wicked step-sisters Vindicta and Manipulata. Marrying Cinderella’s cash-rich, low-thought father, Baron Hardup (Robertson), Baroness Hibernia clashes with Cinderella’s kindness and determination. But coming to her aid are her two best friends in the world: Buttons, played with relish cheek and grin by Young, and Faerie May, Stewart’s dame persona which warms the hearts of Edinburgh audiences and whips out those cracking legs at any opportunity.
In an effort to mix things up and ensure that the regular panto-pals aren’t seeing a consistent recycling of material (don’t worry, your favourite gags are still here), there’s a re-structure to some of the routines and jokes to keep the show feeling fresher (as fresh as a panto can be). It does mean that some performers, chiefly Watson and Gray, turn in malevolently aglow performances in their narrative scenes but aren’t able to join the broader audience interactions and songs. It’s a similar story for the show’s ensemble – thoroughly talented and matching great rhythm with Karen Martin’s choreography to Andy Pickering’s exemplary band and musical direction. Still, they feel heavily underutilised in a pacy show, their big finale bow coming hastily, without a final flourish and chance to showcase.
In its place, though, the trade-off allows Cinderella to do what it does best: be a fairytale. Benefitting most, besides the audiences, Sylvia Edwards is no push-over princess side-lined in their own story, giving plenty of welly and slipper to the role; refined but grounded. Vocally, their Somebody to Love duet with Prince Charming Callan is an eruptive moment of talent that reminds everyone that Pantomimes can be as classy and talented as any storytelling experience. The pair lift the show by the glass heels, and when paired with some of Crossroads noted effects, well, the loudest shocks and murmurs of awe and whimsy come from the oldest hearts in the room.
A thoroughly ‘mod-jerin’ panto, which does tweak and lift from popular culture (you’d be hard-pressed to find a panto which doesn’t), Cinderella indeed emerges, gown and slippers at the ready, as a fully rounded traditional experience of pantomime with the additional bells and whistles come to be expected from Crossroads and the King’s Pantomime. There are big-budget tricks and kits (most of the expenditure clearly going on Stott’s fluffy muff) plenty, including a couple of hooved surprises and additions for even the most seasoned Pantomime veteran, who manages to re-capture that magical experience and amazement for all.
Kicking off the Pantomime trail, there’s no better place to head to than the Festival Theatre to begin that joyous feeling. This is a classic pantomime, but one with sparkle and glimmer to step forward for new audiences while maintaining a nostalgic centre. There’s a reason why Cinderella is the best panto in the land, and it’s all demonstrated here: a heartwarming message, timeless, possessing the opportunity to bring magic to audiences who may need it more than ever. As the King’s Pantomime looks to spend one more year at its new home, it’s safe to say it’ll be leaving behind a strong impact.
Bringing Magic
Cinderella runs at the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, until December 31st.
Running time – Two hours and twenty minutes with one interval
Photo credit – Douglas Robertson
Review by Dominic Corr (contact@corrblimey.uk)
Lead editor of Corr Blimey and a freelance critic for Scottish publications, Dominic has written for and contributed to several established and respected publications such as BBC Radio Scotland, The Scotsman, The List, The Skinny, Edinburgh Festival Magazine, The Reviews Hub, In Their Own League, and The Wee Review. As of 2023, he is a member of the Critic’s Award for Theatre Scotland (CATS) and a member of the UK Film Critics.
